1: to stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or melting2: to agree to observe

How do you use it?

Everyone must adhere to the rules of the community swimming pool in order to swim there.

Are you a word wiz?

"Adhere" has another meaning we haven't mentioned yet. In fact, this missing meaning is the original meaning of the word. Which of the following do you think it is?

A. to tightly bind (as with rope or leather)

B. to connect (as points) by a line

C. to be unable to precede (as through fear)

D. to stay loyal (as to a cause or promise)

Did you pick D? Stick by your answer if you did. "Adhere" comes from the Latin word "adhaerere," which in turn comes from the prefix "ad-" and "haerere," meaning "to stick." Several other words have "haerere" as an etymological ancestor. "Cohere" is one; as a synonym of "adhere," "cohere" most commonly means "to hold together firmly as parts of the same mass." Also from "haerere" are "inhere" (meaning "to be inherent, to belong") and "hesitate."